John and I really liked this verse during our reading the other night. We started, of course, with Dictionary.com.
fal·low adjective
1. (of land) plowed and left unseeded for a season or more; uncultivated.
2. not in use; inactive: My creative energies have lain fallow this year.
I think in the case of Hosea, the meaning was the second. Israel had been disobedient and failed to sow good works. They were being chastised and counseled to get plowing and sowing.
But I think the first definition happens a lot in our lives as well. At different points during our life we are stretched in different ways and caused to develop different capacities. Often when circumstances change, some of those things go on the back burner for a while as we focus on other, more necessary tasks. We needn't feel guilty for letting some things go fallow at certain times in life; it will help us to be more productive and fruitful during other seasons. But this scripture is a good reminder not to let all our talents lie fallow for too long. We can take a look at our capacities and characteristics, then break up our hesitations and impediments so that by sowing them we can bring for fruit for the Lord's coming.
I was interested by the last phrase too - when we plow and plant, the Lord in turn "rains righteousness" on us. It reminds me of the saying that if we do our part the Lord will do the rest/make up the difference. But I think it goes deeper than that.
ReplyDeleteHe isn't just making it rain, he's raining Righteousness - which can be interpreted several ways, but at the moment I'm thinking that it means that he counts our efforts as righteousness, and thus his rain is blessing us to be able to get more blessings.
How's that for circular reasoning? : ) But it's a true principle. (Mosiah 2:24)